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4,500 followers on Facebook site after just two weeks

A community clean up campaign in West Cumbria's been attracting thousands of people to join in on social media.

The Copeland Action Group was started just two weeks ago by Lee Butterworth from Egremont.

He decided that not enough was being done to clean up and tidy areas in Whitehaven and other towns and villages in Copeland.

When he launched his Facebook campaign two weeks ago he says he couldn't have dreampt that it would prove so popular.

"I've been overwhelmed by the level of support. I started the Facebook campaign because there was so much negativity around, people complaining that things weren't being done because the council's had budget cuts and can't do things it used to.

But I never thought it would grow like this. I'm having to sub-divide Copeland into different areas because there's so many people wanting to get involved."

– Lee Butterworth, founder of Copeland Action Group

'Entrance to Valley Park all cut.. now to finish my own garden!!' Credit: Copeland Action Group

The idea behind the action group is that people nominate an area that they want to get cleaned and ask for volunteers to turn up.

So far they have cleaned play parks, grass roadside verges, planted flowers and bulbs in churchyards and have cleared out and tidied gardens for vulnerable and elderly people.

Mr Butterworth says that he now wants to get the public toilets in Whitehaven back into use. He's also been getting interest from people outside Copeland who want to start their own action group.

Copeland Borough Council says that it welcomes anyone willing to take part in volunteering activities.

Volunteers poppy planting and weeding at St Nicholas Church Credit: Copeland Action Group